The future of water infrastructure in the face of climate change

Abstract

"People are sometimes taught in school that water is a 'renewable resource', but water isn't necessarily renewable in the way many people think," says Mike McKinney, vice president and district manager for PCL Construction's civil infrastructure division. "Renewable does not mean unlimited." McKinney, a leading water expert with more than 30 years of experience in the industry, says that while water conservation is a constant concern in arid places like Arizona, it's reaching new levels of awareness and urgency in more areas thanks to climate change and population growth. Rethinking water treatment as water sources decline The signposts of change in America are not hard to find. "These water scarcity incidents don't necessarily mean that there is no water," says Richard Hewitt, district manager for PCL's civil infrastructure division. "What's changed is the political climate. Public opinion now calls for more sustainable solutions." Innovation through collaboration Patrick Malone, director of business development for PCL, says that water conservation and recycling are growing priorities for businesses of all kinds, not just farmers and water utilities. "Data centers, chip manufacturers, solar panel manufacturers, electric vehicles-all require large amounts of water." Malone adds that for a variety of reasons, including security concerns and supply chain disruptions, many manufacturing operations are re-shoring to the United States, which could have a significant impact on the country's water usage. "Our team has worked on a wide range of projects, from intricate rehabilitations to the construction of new water treatment facilities. We bring a deep level of understanding to every water project."